City Council adopts revised City Code
I am pleased to announce that the City Council on December 23, 2008, unanimously voted to adopt a new City Code. The Code includes the Charter, ordinances, accepted statutes, and special legislative acts. This Code replaces the previous Code that was adopted in 1988 and brings the City’s ordinances [...]
Archive for December, 2008
City Code Now Online
Posted in City Services, Uncategorized, tagged City Code, City of Lowell, municipal code, ordinances on December 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Pension Reality
Posted in Budget, City Services, tagged 401k, Public Pension Systems on December 26, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Periodically, events occur that call into question the viability of public pension systems. Our current recession has renewed this analysis. While it is true that virtually all pension systems have been affected by the market meltdown, it is necessary to look at the Massachusetts system in context. With that in mind, let’s talk about the [...]
The Year in Review and Look Forward by the Director of Planning and Development
Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Uncategorized, tagged Community Development, Economic Development, Hamilton Canal District, Lowell Renaissance, NPS, Planning and Development on December 22, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Adam Baacke, Assistant City Manager and Director of the Department of Planning and Development has provided the following year in review in relation to the department’s vision and broad goals for the past year. I concur with Adam’s assessment that despite a difficult and instable economic outlook across the region and country there is [...]
“Share the Warmth” Thursday, December 18th
Posted in City Services, Community, Public Service, Uncategorized, tagged City of Lowell, CTI, Energy Bucks, Fuel Assistance, Heat, LIVE UNITED, United Way on December 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The ice storm and resulting power outtages gave those of us without power for any length of time an appreciation for the most elemental of things; heat and easy access to food. For some, in this difficult economy, the return of power won’t resolve the worry of how to heat a home or put a [...]
Ice Storm
Posted in City Services, Community, Uncategorized, tagged DPW, Ice Storm, tree limbs on December 15, 2008 | 1 Comment »
I was awoken in the very early hours of Friday morning by the buzzing of my cell phone to a oddly quiet, dark house; the silence broken only by the sound of the rain and snapping tree limbs. It was clear from the phone call it was going to be a long day, what [...]
“How do you Wrap a Bridge?”
Posted in City Services, Uncategorized, tagged bridge work, Bridges, University Ave. Bridge, Univesity Ave. Bridge on December 12, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Commuters can expect their patience to be rewarded with the re-opening of the University Ave. Bridge just in time for Christmas (if the weather fully cooperates). The bridge repairs have progressed largely on schedule and without incident. I am happy to report that all work will finish this month within budget.
City Engineer Lisa DeMeo [...]
A Perspective on Redevelopment
Posted in Economic Development, tagged City of Lowell, Economic Development, Hamilton Canal, Kent ohio on December 8, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Last week I ran across an interesting blog post from a fellow city manager in Kent, Ohio. Kent is in the midst of a number of development projects and like Lowell is balancing the historic with the new, while also facing the challenges of a slumping economy. With regards to the ongoing revitalization of the downtown area, particularly [...]
Good News – Positive Free Cash Certified
Posted in Uncategorized on December 4, 2008 | 2 Comments »
With so much bad economic news out there, I thought I’d share some positive. The City received good news on Monday from the Department of Revenue. Free cash has been certified by the Department at $30,789. While that may seem like a very small amount for a city the size of Lowell, it is an [...]
